This is the latest EP/mini-album from Iku-Turso, a Finnish/Dutch black metal band.
Brought to us by current/ex-members of From the Vastland, Khanus, and Order of Nosferat, Wolfheart contains 30 minutes of material, consisting of four original tracks and an Emperor cover. Iku-Turso play old-school black metal, steeped in the lore of the Scandinavian second wave.
Pagan Beasts starts us off, and is an upbeat romp through a blackened landscape, with melodic and symphonic touches that speak of ancient lands. The melodies are of the pagan/folk-influenced variety, but to me work better than those styles can sometimes do. The song has many hooks, and gets its claws into you firmly via the band’s capable songwriting skills. The vocals are really strong too – a classic blackened scream torn from the abyss. I like Pagan Beasts a lot.
Next is Gales of Hail, which has a similar character to its predecessor, only more viciously focused. There are some lethal riffs, and the keyboards are even better than they were on the previous track, telling tales of dark nights and mystical terrors.
Grizzled Skies is the release’s longest cut, and is the most atmospheric song. It boasts unhinged vocals alongside the standard ones; it’s quite the performance. The keyboards are once again a strong feature of the music, and sometimes really outdo themselves with their emotive orchestral impact.
Midwinter is a short bridge between the originals and Emperor cover, but reveals itself to be an actual song, albeit a brief one. It’s rather grand and epic for something so short, and Iku-Turso manage to do a lot with a little here. Good stuff.
We end with the Emperor cover, of the band’s classic Beyond the Great Vast Forest. What can you say about such a fantastic song, other than the fact that Iku-Turso do it justice? Very good.
Wolfheart is an enjoyable mini-album from a band that clearly know what they’re doing. If you have a taste for well-executed black metal, a contemporary take on the 90s style, then Iku-Turso’s latest is for you.
Wonderbox Metal 